Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Greater New Orleans

Change Region

comments

New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis is improving but will be a game-time decision tonight vs. Suns

Anthony Davis

New Orleans Pelicans' forward Anthony Davis (23) wipes his face during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, in Dallas. Davis left the game in the first half with a left shoulder sprain. Dallas won 108-89. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Phoenix
– New Orleans Pelicans All-Star
power forward Anthony Davis participated in the team's shootaround
Friday morning in advance of tonight's game against the Phoenix Suns. But
Pelicans coach Monty Williams said Davis, with his sprained left shoulder,
would be a game-time decision.

"He seems better, but we are going to keep it
a game-time decision to see how he responds to the workouts yesterday and the
treatments he's gotten over the last couple days," Williams said.

Davis said there still is some soreness in
his shoulder, but he has no limitations and has full range of motion.

"It's a game-time decision, but it feels
better," Davis said. "I'll see how it feels around game time."

Davis, the Pelicans leader in scoring (20.2),
rebounding (10.2) and blocks (3.0), was
injured in the second quarter of the Pelicans 108-89 loss at Dallas on
Wednesday when Mavs forward Shawn Marion swiped at the ball while Davis was trying
to follow up his own missed shot.

Immediately after attempting a put back,
Davis grabbed at his left shoulder. He attempted to stay in the game for a
possession, but checked out for good minutes later.

If the Pelicans don't have Davis tonight,
Williams said he could start forward Luke Babbitt at power forward. Williams
prefers starting Babbitt over centers Jeff Withey, Greg Stiemsma or Alexis
Ajinca because the Suns' power forward, Channing Frye, spends a lot of his time
on the perimeter.

Williams said if there is any chance of Davis
aggravating the injury more, he'd hold Davis out.

"That's what I typically do anyway if there
is any shadow of doubt," Williams said. "If a guy is a bit gimpy and he looks
like he is trying to but he is really not there, I just hold him to my own
detriment. But we haven't crossed that bridge yet, so I don't want to speculate
on that."